It brought a positive end to what had at times been a testing qualifying campaign for Roy Hodgson's Three Lions.

"It was a relief for everyone," Gerrard said.

"At 1-0 it was very nervous, tense and edgy, you are always thinking that one mistake and you could be in trouble.

"I got a bit of a break with the goal, but when I saw it in the back of the net. It was a tremendous feeling."

The England captain added: "It is a feeling difficult to put into words because I am on such a high.

"I have had some wonderful nights as Liverpool captain and I remember the night when Roy phoned me to tell me I was going to be the permanent captain, the feeling I got when that goal went in tonight, that feeling was maxed."

A fine header from Wayne Rooney had set England on their way just before half-time.

The Manchester United striker has now scored nine goals from his last 10 England matches.

Gerrard is in no doubt of Rooney's importance to hopes of continued improvement next summer.

"I have said all along that if we are going to be successful in this team, then Wayne Rooney is key," he said.

"When you go into big competitions, you need strikers to get you important goals and that is why Wayne Rooney is so important for this country - if we are going to do well at the tournament it will be because Wayne Rooney is in good form."

Gerrard hopes England will remain "grounded" as they prepare for Brazil 2014, when the hopes of a nation will again be on their shoulders.

"The opportunity is there. I have said all week there is a good confidence and belief in the group, but at the same time we are going to keep ourselves grounded and stay humble," he said.

"It is important now that it does not flip and everyone thinks we are going to go and win the World Cup, that we are favourites and everyone gets carried away.

"What is important is we have shown everyone we are a good team.

"We have not felt sorry for ourselves when we have had criticism, we have rolled ourselves up, tried to work hard and put it right.

"It is a great feeling to be in Brazil and hopefully we can go in with a little less pressure on ourselves and surprise a few."

Readers' Comments

I

t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.